Protecting migrants or keeping them in their place? Migrant deaths, information campaigns and humanitarian dilemmas at the border

This presentation will discuss two types of political interventions that are characteristic of the humanitarian dilemmas raised by contemporary border control. The first is the prevention of migrant deaths, with a particular focus on the production of knowledge and statistics. The second is the organization of information campaigns to incite potential migrants to stay in their country. In both cases, the objective is to address the humanitarian challenges raised by deadly migration dynamics, but in a way that creates new patterns of violence.

Antoine Pécoud is professor of sociology at the University Sorbonne Paris Nord and member of the Institut Universitaire de France.

Lecture within the UniGR-CBS lecture series “Border Realities 2025/2026: Humanitarian Challenges at Borders “.

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